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Heating Frozen Thawed Rodents Help......

Oohdeera Aug 30, 2009 11:03 PM

I defrost my rodents in ziplock bags in warm water useally in the afternoon then feed late at night... By time I get ready to feed they are room temperature so I have to reheat them with a hair dryer.. Well my hair dryer is dieing and my collection is growing..

What is another method to reheat up defrosted rats???

Is there a brand of plastic bags you can use to defrost rodents in that will keep the rats dry and not leak???
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0.8 normal female balls
1.0 Bumblebee
0.1 Butter
0.1 Pinstripe
0.1 Black Pastel
1.3 Pastels
1.0 Yellowbelly
0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise
1.0 Iguana

Most importantly
1.0 hubby that shares my hobby

Replies (9)

toshamc Aug 30, 2009 11:18 PM

I use a heat lamp -- but if your snakes are taking f/t well then they will most likely take them at room temperature.

As for the wet rats -- it's most likely condensation inside the bag from defrosting too quickly. If you defrost them slower - overnight in the fridge or out on the counter for the day - then you should eliminate wet rat syndrome.

Good luck!
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

hogboy Aug 31, 2009 04:42 AM

I also defrost in a bucket of warm water, but when fully defrosted fill the bucket back up with hot, and they are warmed up by the water, still in the bags.

Bolitochrome Aug 31, 2009 06:47 AM

I thaw rats by laying them out on some newspaper and setting a fan to run over them. When they are thawed out all the way through, I set them in a "hot box" I made. I outfitted a styrofoam cooler with some heat tape, one piece that runs down one side, along the bottom, and up the other. Layer in some paper towels and rats and let them heat up. I don't let them get too hot though since my snakes aren't that particular.
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.1 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

adamjeffery Aug 31, 2009 01:44 PM

im not trying to hijack this thread or to sound stupid, but why is it a problem for the rats to be wet?
ive been breeding snakes for 10 years or so and been keepeing reptiles for about 15. i just take the f/t rodents and defrost them in hot water, no baggie just water and rodent. when i go to feed i take them shake them off and feed them to my snakes.
none of my snakes have ever had a problem with this method.
all my corns milks kings and balls eat them this way.
let me know why their is an issue please!
adam jeffery
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" a.k.a. farfrumugen "
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.

hogboy Aug 31, 2009 02:16 PM

I've got no issue with wet rats, just find dry ones get a better feeding response with Balls, just seem to have a more enticing smell -)

apeilia Aug 31, 2009 08:10 PM

I use a heating pad designed for people. Mine has three settings, so if the rats aren't thawing quickly enough (I thaw in the fridge), I put them on low for a while. Either way, before feeding I sandwich the rats wrapped in paper between a couple heating pads on high for a little while. I can't use a hairdryer or anything else that blows the hair around because I'm allergic to rodents.

wcstegmd Sep 02, 2009 10:28 PM

i agree this is a great way to warm rodents

Watever Sep 01, 2009 02:54 PM

I defrost all my rodents in a bucket

When they are thawn, I put them in bags and put warm water over them if they are too cold. Otherwise, I will give them directly like that or if I only have a few left to feed I put them under a lamp while I look at kingsnakes forums on my computer :D
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love this world, don't hate it.

ROC Sep 04, 2009 12:12 PM

blowdryer, putting in warm water (not in a bag) I feel washes off some of the smell, and I have noticed the snakes are less likely to take them

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